The application relates to a method for clustering a plurality of users in a mobile network, wherein a specific profile containing data about the user is assigned to each user. The application additionally relates to a device for clustering a plurality of users in mobile networks. The application further relates to a corresponding computer program with program code and a corresponding computer program product for clustering a plurality of users in a mobile network.
The user can be, for example, a person equipped with a terminal such as a mobile telephone, pocket PC (PDA), tablet PC or similar, or can be a vehicle such as a rail-borne cabin-type vehicle.
The profile assigned to each user contains data concerning said user. This can be personal and/or business data, address data, interests of a person or similar. A profile can also contain “want” data or “offer” data. “Want” data includes, for example, data regarding items or services requested by the user. Correspondingly, “offer” data is data concerning an item or service which the user is offering for sale, rent or loan. Profile data can also contain information as to which destination a user wishes to reach at what time and by which means of transportation.
From the related art, there are two known approaches for clustering a plurality of users, i.e. forming (virtual) groups of associated objects.
In “Clustering and Routing in Mobile Wireless Networks” by Geng Chen and Ivan Stojmenovic, Technical Report TR-9,9-05, School of Information Technology & Engineering, University of Ottawa, Canada, June 1999, there is described a method for clustering users in the mobile environment. According to this method, a group of mobile users, specifically terminals, is formed or clustered in respect of their geographical data or position.
In the publication “An Analysis of Recent Work on Clustering Algorithms” by Daniel Fasulo, Technical Report UW-CSE-01-03-02, Computer Sciences Department, Washington University, 26 Apr. 1999, there is described a method whereby similar data records are picked out from a plethora of data.
Both methods are incapable of clustering a plurality of users in a mobile ad hoc network if a specific profile containing data about the user is assigned to each user.
WO 03/055149 A1 discloses a method for mobile ad hoc networks wherein mobile terminals are clustered as a function of attributes which the mobile terminals have in common. However, this method is insufficiently flexible for many applications.